How To Deal With Glaucoma If You Are A Senior Citizen?

A few decades ago, a diagnosis of a disease like glaucoma meant a blindness in 90 percent of the cases. At present, thanks to the wonders of modern science, it’s totally possible to treat a disease like glaucoma assuring seniors who inherit it a life full of good eyesight.

Glaucoma, in simple terms, is a progressive condition where the ocular pressure rises, at times to the amount where the optic nerve (which joins the eye to your brain) is damaged which results in a partial or total loss of eyesight. However, some folks develop the condition with low eye-pressure. These cases can be more challenging to diagnose since there are hardly any symptoms till the visual area is already affected.

There are 2 common forms of glaucoma… closed angle & open angle.

In a closed angle glaucoma, the fluid present at the front portion of the eye gets blocked. Since the human eye comprises of a closed structure, the additional fluid is unable to flow out of it in case the angle gets blocked. The pressure of the fluid inside the eye increases which pushes against the optic nerve resulting in the final damage.

In an open angle glaucoma, the drainage angles within the eye lose its effect causing a gradual increase in the pressure, at times without any symptoms. Here, the damage to optic nerves occurs so steadily that the subject is uninformed his/her eyesight is becoming impaired. Due to this, seniors are advised to have a yearly eye checkup with an experienced ophthalmologist who’ll examine the eye pressure so as to conduct further tests in the event intraocular pressure surpasses regular limits (20 to 22mmHg).

In acute closed-angle glaucoma, the intraocular force builds up instantaneously. Senior citizens are therefore cautioned to get in touch with their ophthalmologist right away in case they suffer from any of the below symptoms:

headache;

severe pain in the eyes;

blurry vision;

nausea;

halos similar to the color of a rainbow around the lights;

vomiting

Some individuals can be at a greater risk for suffering the disease and must be examined by an expert every one to two years. Those with a greater risk of suffering from glaucoma include seniors with the below conditions:

African ancestry;

previous history of the disease;

elevated pressure in the eyes;

history of eye injuries;

diabetes;

nearsightedness

Treatment:

In a majority of the cases, the treatment procedure is relatively simple. Regular eye drops can help keep the disease at bay for a number of patients. This helps the optic nerve avoid any further damage.

Some may need laser treatment to produce extra drainage for aqueous humor. However, as previously stated, the results of the treatment are typically good for these patients, and regular eye drops can keep the disorder under control.